HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, fla — As we continue to watch the destruction unfold in California from the wildfires, the Florida Forest Service is warning of an increased risk of fires in the Sunshine State.
Ludie Bond with the Florida Forest Service explained we are about to enter several dry months. She said there is also dried-up and leftover vegetation from the hurricanes and the cold weather.
“You take all those conditions, add them together, and the prediction is for a dramatic increase in wildfire currents in Florida from now until April.”
Bond said the state is hard at work with prevention efforts, but they need home and property owners to help out as well.
“Cleaning off your gutters, removing wood piles, and propane tanks away from your home… What we really need for people to understand is we need your support for prescribed burning. That is the primary most important tool we have here in Florida to keep the wildfires small,” Bond said.
JPrescribedburn awareness week. began on January 26th. Bond explained that Florida has a robust prescribed burn program, which plays a major role in keeping the fires here small.
While county, state, and federal agencies conduct these burns- they need private property owners to as well.
That is why the Florida Forest Service teamed up with UF/IFAS to create afile of fire prevention information.
That resource has information to connect private property owners with the right agencies to conduct the burns.
“It can lead you through the planning process, executing the prescribed burn as well as mop up,” Bond said.
She said everyone should be participating in prevention efforts, whether that is cleaning your yard or conducting a burn.
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